Magnetic toy



(No Model.)

G. A. GOODSON.

MAGNETIC TOY.

No. 468.274. Patented Feb. 2, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAG NETIC TOY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters 1? Application filed March 21, 1891.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, GEORGE A. GOODSON, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Magnetic Toys; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide an amusing toy. To this end Iemploy agrotesque figure, a hand device, and magnetized pieces located, respectively, on the figure and the hand device. The magnetized parts are preferably in the form of hooks or hooks and eyes, and the one of the said pieces which is supported from the hand device is preferably suspended by a flexible connection. To heighten the effect of the trick or action, the grotesque figure is preferably supported Within a small transparent case of vial'like form, having an open mouth adapted to pass the figure and a body of sufficient sizeto give the figure considerable play therein. The stopper of the vial may be used as the hand device from which to suspend one of the magnetized pieces. The figure may be of any desired kind, such as that of a monkey, man, or other animal. The magnetized parts may be conveniently made of tempered steel or casehardened iron.

The device is illustrated in the accompanying drawing. In the same the single figure is a vertical section through the case, the other parts being represented in perspective.

A is the glass vial, adapted to be held in the hand, having the open mouth ct. B is the stopper to the same, constructed with a finger-knob b. C is the magnetized piece suspended therefrom by the fiexible support D. The magnetized piece 0 is shown as of hook form, and the flexible supportis a chain composed of brass or other non-magnetic metal.

E is a grotesque figure, intended, as shown, to represent a monkey, and F is the other magnetized piece, carried by the figure, constructed, as shown, in the form of an eye, represented as part of the tail of the monkey, with which the hook is adapted to engage.

G and II represent the human hands, illusatent No. 468,274, dated February 2, 1892.

Serial No. 385,870. (No model.)

trating the way in which the parts are held for performing the trick.

The trick or puzzle is to get the figure out of the case by means of the hand device. This is apparently a very easy thing to do, especially when the magnetized pieces are ongageable parts, like hooks and eyes. At first sight any one would say he could make the hook engage with the eye; but the attempt are brought within the magnetic field they either attract or repel each other, according to the arrangement of the poles, making it quite difficult to effect the engagement. It can, however, be done by giving exactly the right swing to the hook, so that it will strike the eye and the momentum be sufficient to overcome the magnetism.

he fact that the figure is free to slide about on the bottom of the case and that the hook is suspended by a flexible connection and delicately poised on its pivot all co-oper ate to make the engagement more difficult.

The inviting simplicity of the act, the difiilculty of performance, the mystery afforded by the magnetism, and the lesson afforded by the explanation makes this an attractive and instructive toy. The magnetized parts, instead of being constructed so as to engage with each other, may be adapted simply for contact and reliance placed on the attraction to lift the figure, care being taken in that event to give the magnetized parts such mass with reference to each other that the attraction would be sufficient to lift the figure by a steady motion, but insufficient to hold' the same against the slightest jar or impediment, such as might occur from the swing of the chain or the touching of the case by the figure.

It will of course be understood that, while the glass case adds attractiveness to the toy and increases the difficulty of the act, the other parts might be used without the case.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. A magnetic toy comprising a grotesque figure, a hand device, and a pair of metallic interlocking parts carried one by the figure and the other by the hand device, at leastone of the said parts being magnetized.

2. A magnetic toy comprising a grotesque is disappointing, for whenever the two parts IOC figure, a hand device, and metallic inter10ck 4. The magnetic toy comprisinga grotesque ing parts, atleast one of which is magnetized, figure provided with the magnetized metallic I 5 carried one by the figure and the other by a eye, the transparent case having a mouth flexible connection suspended from the hand adapted to pass the figure, the stopper, the 5 device. flexible support depending from the stopper,

3. A magnetic toy comprising a transparent and the magnetized hook pivoted to said flexicase adaptedtto be held in the hand, a. groble support, substantially as described. 2o tesque figure, a hand device projectible into In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature 1n the interiorof the case,and a pair of metallic presence of two Witnesses. to interlocking parts, one of which is attached to the figure and the other to the hand de- Witnesses:

vice, and one or hot ized, substantially as described.

GEORGE A. GOODSON.

h of which are magnet- JAS. F. WILLIAMSON,

EMMA F. ELMORE. 

